# Uncle Sam (comics)

Uncle Sam is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Based on the national personification of the United States, Uncle Sam, the character first appeared in National Comics #1 (July 1940) and was created by Will Eisner.

## Publication history
### Quality Comics

Uncle Sam first appeared in National Comics #1 (July 1940), which was published by Quality Comics during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He is depicted as a mystical being who was originally the spirit of a slain patriotic soldier from the American Revolutionary War and appears whenever his country needs him. The character was used for a few years from 1940 to 1944, briefly receiving a solo series, Uncle Sam Quarterly. During this time, he had a sidekick named Buddy Smith.
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "he fights a variety of Axis agents, human and superhuman, from the Black Legion to the shrink-ray-wielding Professor Nakajima. Uncle Sam also fights the mad scientist Dr. Dirge, the King Killer, and the insanity-causing Mad Poet".

### DC Comics

Following DC Comics' acquisition of Quality Comics, Uncle Sam is reimagined as the leader of the Freedom Fighters on Earth-X, where the Nazis won World War II.
In The Spectre, Uncle Sam is reimagined as a spirit created by the Founding Fathers who is bound to a talisman and assumes a physical form by possessing others.
In Infinite Crisis, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters are ambushed by the Secret Society of Super Villains where he is seemingly killed by Sinestro. He is later resurrected and makes subsequent appearances in Final Crisis, Blackest Night, and The New 52 continuity reboot.

## Powers and abilities

Uncle Sam has demonstrated various powers, including super strength, invulnerability, the ability to alter his size, enhanced speed, and some degree of clairvoyance. He is also shown to be able to transport himself and others to a pocket dimension called The Heartland and travel between universes. Furthermore, Sam's abilities are dependent on the United States' patriotism.

## Other versions

* In 1998, DC published under its adult imprint Vertigo a two-issue prestige format comic series, Uncle Sam. It was written by Steve Darnall with painted artwork by Alex Ross. Uncle Sam is depicted as a ragged old man who is tormented by visions of historical episodes and modern aspects of the United States at its worst. He is forced to battle a dark doppelganger of himself based on corruption, deceit, and oppression, with the identity of the United States at stake.
* In an alternate DC timeline appearing in Superman/Batman, Superman and Batman have been raised by Cosmic King, Lightning Lord, and Saturn Queen, the three original members of the Legion of Super-Villains, and have turned the Earth into a totalitarian state. Uncle Sam becomes Green Lantern when Wonder Woman gives him Abin Sur's ring, as Hal Jordan is dead in this reality. When Wonder Woman first encounters this Uncle Sam, he is visually similar to the Uncle Sam from Alex Ross' miniseries; once she uses her magic lasso to reveal the truth to him, he reverts to his classic persona and costume.
* In the final issue of 52, a new multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities. Among the parallel realities shown is one designated Earth-10. As a result of Mister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-X, including the Quality characters.
Based on comments by Grant Morrison and the fact that a Nazi version of Superman is depicted in the scene, this alternate universe is not the pre-Crisis Earth-X.
* On Earth-11, a world of reversed genders, a female version of Sam named Columbia leads the Freedom Fighters.
* New Super-Man features a character, Flying Dragon General, as an analog of Uncle Sam.

## In other media

* Uncle Sam appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Cry Freedom Fighters!", voiced by Peter Renaday.
* Uncle Sam appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
* Uncle Sam appears in Justice League Unlimited #17.